Ethnomathematics Reflection 2

This time Mr. Marsigit did question-answer session. First Mr. Marsigit told us about learning ethnomathematics. If we learn instantly, then we can’t have the knowledge completely. Ethnomathematics is inovative, ethnomathematics can be applied in our daily life. Like Street Mathematics in Brazil, and maybe someday we can make mathematics for our own area. Now we will discuss the question-answer.

The first question came from Hildergadis Mulu,” How do teachers implement innovative teaching methods without having collided with the educational system of results-oriented National Exam?”. In class, the one who innovative is teacher. Teacher is the one who authoritarian, the democratic one is teacher. Innovative is yourself, the traditional is you. In applying the innovative learning method all depends on the teacher. So Ethnomathematics was a student himself. If education is considered as an investment in the future, there is no need to worry the National Exam. Due to the innovative learning, knowledge will be easily absorbed. If the understanding of the material, then we do not need to sweat the National Exam. With a good understanding, the National Exam success will follow.

The second question came from me, Nawangwulan Vennia,” What should be used to evaluate student learning outcomes, if the National Examination cause failure in some areas and there even one case of total school does not pass, then the judgment delivered on teacher raises new bribery field?”. It is called a complication. Communities have been experiencing anomalous conditions due to mismanagement by the government for a long time. Why is this so? Because history shows that leaders in Indonesia think about Indonesia 100 years later, but the implementation was still finding various temptations. The first president was tempted to become president for all his life. The second president tempted to enrich themselves, their children, grandchildren, and siblings. The third president was not visible, while the fourth and fifth presidents tempted to corruption and enrich the family and group. Indonesia needs revolution, because reformation is not enough. If people sick, they go see the doctor, and if a nation is sick then the doctor is revolution. Then Indonesia has to have vision for next 100 years.

The next question came from Dyah Purboningsih, “What is the basic concept of ethnomathematics? What is ethnomathematics’ learning objectives?”. The basic concept of ethnomathematics is mathematics contextual which is based on culture of an area. Ethnomathematics’ research is qualitative though still using quantitative material.  The objective is to learn how to use mathematics based on the culture, especially Indonesian culture.

The last question for that day was came from Venti Indiani,”What is the content of Street Mathematics?”. Street Mathematics came from Brazil streets where Theresia Nunnes observed counting merchants in Sao Paulo, Brazil. They count something faster and correct. Like Mr. Marsigit said at first time, maybe we can make Malioboro Street Mathematics, which tells us how to count or do mathematics by Malioboro’s ways. Something like street mathematics came from their culture, or ethnomathematics. If we developed Indonesian culture, then maybe there are million ways to count something, then we named by its area.